(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a copier operation control and input device provided for a copier capable of duplicating enlarged-size or reduced-size copies of an original image, more detailedly relates to a copier operation control and input device for receiving the input of an original size and paper size combination involved in a copying operation.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, there have been a variety of copiers put on the market, which have the zooming function for permitting change in copy magnification so as to allow an original image to be enlarged or reduced and reproduced on copy paper of a desired size. In a copier having such a zooming function, it is necessary to designate the copy magnification in accordance with the original size and the desired copy image size, prior to the copy operation. However, since the copier typically reads a plurality of original sizes using the image reader while multiple sizes of paper can be fed from the paper feed portion, there are various original size and paper size possible combinations so that it is not easy to set the desired copy magnification according to the original size and paper size.
As conventional copiers having a zooming function, various means for designating the copy magnification in accordance with the original size and copy image size have been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 5 No.127472 discloses a configuration having a copy magnification display portion 61 as shown in FIG. 1, where a number of original sizes are shown in the row of an original size display portion 62 and a number of copy magnification ratios are shown in the column of a copy magnification portion 63 so as to create a copy size display portion 65 for displaying the paper sizes at the cells designated by the intersections between original sizes and copy magnification ratios.
In this arrangement, this disclosure suggests that upon designating the copy magnification the operator should be able to easily select the necessary copy magnification, not paying simultaneous attention to the display contents vertically and horizontally in the display means, but by vertically searching the cells of the column, designated by the original size involved in the copying operation, in original size display portion 62 of copy magnification display means 61, locating the cell in which the desired copy size is displayed in copy size display portion 65, and checking the copy magnification displayed in the row.
However, the arrangement disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Hei 5 No. 127472 necessitates the operator to designate the paper size to be used, other than the designation of the copy magnification, posing the drawback that the setup of the copying conditions upon the start of the copying operation is complicated.
Further, if there are many choices of original and copy sizes, the work for locating the original size from the original size display portion, that for vertically searching the cells of the column with the original size displayed and that for locating the desired copy size, and that for horizontally following the row in which the copy size is displayed are rather troublesome so that the copy magnification setting by itself is not so easy.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a copier operation control and input device which facilitates designation of the copy magnification and paper size by a single step of operation even if there are many selectable original and copy sizes, by displaying the permissible original size and paper size combinations, in order of priority based on the use history.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows:
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, an operation control and input device for a copier, includes:
a display portion for displaying a plurality of original size and paper size combinations;
an operation control portion for receiving modifying operations of the display content in the display portion and for receiving the selection control of one original size and paper size combination from the plural combinations; and
a controller which, based on the modifying operation of the display content via the operation control portion and based on use history for individual combinations stored beforehand, displays the original size and paper size combinations, in order of the possibility of being selected, and sets up the copying conditions based on the selection control by means of the operation control portion.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, the operation control and input device for a copier having the above first feature is characterized in that the controller displays a predetermined number of combinations selected from multiple original size and paper size combinations, in scrolling manner, based on the modifying operation of the display content via the operation control portion.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, the operation control and input device for a copier having the above first feature is characterized in that the controller renews and stores the use history of use frequencies of individual original size and paper size combinations so as to display in the display portion the combinations in accordance with the control via the operation control portion, in order of use frequency.
In accordance with the fourth aspect of the present invention, the operation control and input device for a copier having the above first feature is characterized in that the controller displays in the display portion only the combinations involving the original size read from the original set in the copying machine.
In accordance with the fifth aspect of the present invention, the operation control and input device for a copier having the above first feature is characterized in that the controller displays in the display portion only the combinations involving the paper sizes accommodated in the copying machine.
In accordance with the sixth aspect of the present invention, the operation control and input device for a copier having the above first feature is characterized in that the controller renews and stores the use frequency of each combination as the use history.
In accordance with the seventh aspect of the present invention, the operation control and input device for a copier having the above first feature is characterized in that the controller displays the combination which was used last in preference to the combinations of which the display order has been determined based on the stored use frequencies.
In the above first configuration, a multiple number of original size and paper size combinations are displayed in the display portion based on the modifying operation of the display content via the operation control portion and based on the use history of individual combinations. When one from the size combinations displayed in the display portion is selected using the operation control portion, copying conditions in conformity with the selected combination is set up. Therefore, the operator is able to select the desired original size and paper size combination from the multiple number of size combinations displayed in the display portion, thus making it possible to set up the copy magnification and the paper size in a simple manner. Further, the multiple number of original size and paper size combinations are displayed in order of the possibility of being selected based on the use history of the individual combinations, this feature facilitates quick selection of the desired combination. Therefore, it is possible to make quick and easy choice of the desired combination even if there are various selectable original size and paper size combinations.
In the above second configuration, when the display content is modified via the operation control portion, the predetermined number of original size and paper size combinations are displayed in a scrolling manner. Therefore, even if there are various selectable original size and paper size combinations, only the fixed number of combinations are displayed in the display portion, which enables easy selection via the operation control portion.
In the above third configuration, a multiple number of original size and paper size combinations are displayed in the display portion in order of use frequency, based on the modifying operation of the display content via the operation control portion. Therefore, even if there are various selectable original size and paper size combinations, it is possible to set up the desired combination quickly and easily by appropriate control of the operation control portion.
In the above fourth configuration, among the selectable original size and paper size combinations, only the combinations having the original size involved in the copying operation are displayed. Therefore, no unselectable combinations will be displayed so that the selecting operation via the operation control portion can be simplified even if there are various selectable original size and paper size combinations.
In the above fifth configuration, among the selectable original size and paper size combinations, only the combinations having the paper sizes capable of being used for the copying operation are displayed. Therefore, no unselectable combinations will be displayed so that the selecting operation via the operation control portion can be simplified even if there are various selectable original size and paper size combinations.
In the above sixth configuration, a multiple number of selectable original size and paper size combinations are displayed in the display portion in order of use frequency. Therefore, among the multiple number of selectable combinations, the combinations which have been frequently used are displayed in the display portion in order of possibility of being selected. Accordingly, the number of operating the operation control portion for displaying the desired combination in the display portion can be reduced, whereby the modifying operation of the display content via the operation control portion can be simplified.
In the above seventh configuration, the combination of the last copying operation is displayed in the display portion in preference to other combinations even if the combination is used less frequently. Therefore, if the operator makes multiple times of copying operations in a row, the combination is displayed at the top in the display portion as the candidate of the original size and paper size combination to be used in the second and following copying operations, regardless of the use frequency of the combination. This feature enables the operator to perform quick selection and control of the desired combination.
The gist of the present invention has been described heretofore, but needless to say, the present invention can be achieved by appropriate combinations of these features.